Well, what can I say? I jumped on this Blog thing several years ago, before most in the Wedding Industry even thought about it. But, as time passed, and I popped out two babies, my desire to blog waned a bit. Well, let me rephrase - it went away completely!!! I know, I know - why would I go into hiding? I have a thriving business, and people want to hear from me. Well, I did have the desire, but not the energy. I have a 2 1/2 year old and a 17 month old. For those that didn't do the math, that's 14 months apart - darn near twins!! I spend all my time running after them, not blogging.

But, I thought - "wait a minute, other moms do this all the time. They look after their kids AND run successful businesses." So, I decided to suck it up, and start on my New Year's Resolutions early. I only have two:

Resolution #1 - Blog at least one a week: so Brides, Grooms and their families can keep up to date. The posts will generally be wedding related, but every once in a while I might digress!

Resolution #2 - Lose 25 pounds. I wouldn't say I'm chubby, but I am definitely not the waif I was in HS ;-) .... HeeHee...

So, I have made progress on both fronts. I am working out again (as of yesterday ;-), and I have blogged for all the world to see today. And guess what, this is a very cool post; It's cool, because we've won another award! We have been selected for The Knot's "2010 Best of Weddings." I am so happy about this award, because the winners are chosen by Brides. That's the best kind of press you can ever hope to receive - from happy clients!

So, thank you for the award. And, thank you for supporting Serendipity ;-)

Next week, I'll talk more about this award from the Knot, and recap some of the weddings we had this year. There is one in particular that was so fabulous, and will be in a major magazine this month!

Well, I guess I should post the "official" image - we're listed as one of the best wedding planners in Washington DC. This is our 3rd year in a row. Thanks a bunch to all that helped us earn this honor. We're truly delighted and humbled ;-)

Well, if you are one of the 3 people who still follow this blog - you're finally in luck! On the top of my New Year's Resolution list is to get back to Blogging! I am very excited to do so. There are so many things that have gone on, and I expect a great 2009. Let's do a little housekeeping:

2009 CalendarThe calendar reflects the current schedule for Serendipity so far in 2009. If there is an "S" on the date, then it's taken. Otherwise, feel free to contact me about any other available date.

You guys really like us ;-)Well, we have been informed that we were selected AGAIN as one of the best Wedding Planners in DC by the Washingtonian Magazine. This accolade is especially humbling, considering I ran a super limited schedule in 2008 - I had to figure out how to balance two babies and a business at the same time! I think I've figured it out, and I am ready for a great 2009. Thank you to ALL of you (friends, fellow vendors, Brides, Grooms, parents) who took the time to vote for us. We are humbled and will do our very best not to let you down ;-).

2008 Couples - A look backI have contacted all of the photographers that I worked with in 2008, so I could post photos. In this age of blogging, it's much better to SEE the wedding instead of just listening to me ramble on about the events! So, I will update you on the weddings from last year when I get all of the photos. I do have one event to talk about right now - Sarah & Mike from this past November.

I will be posting again in the next couple of days. As I mentioned in a previous blog - this is just a blog with my thoughts --- about my couples, things that interest me and things that might interest you. I don't get paid by anyone to mention their names. I don't have time for that. I also think this is the one place you can find out a little bit about me and Serendipity. I hope you enjoy!

~kim~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarah & Mike- A wonderful event at the OmniShoreham HotelI was hired by Sarah pretty much at the last minute - her wedding to Mike was taking place in about 6 weeks, and she knew she needed help. Thankfully, she called us! Sarah works on the Hill (Capitol Hill, that is) and she is a smart lady. I remember meeting with her in the COSI on Capitol Hill, and admiring her style. She had the most wonderful set of pearls on. I am not sure if they were real or not - but getting to know her, I doubt she wears anything but the REAL THING!! She reminds me a bit of Bree Hodge from Desperate Housewives. Not the drama - but the sense of impeccable style!Sarah and Mike are a great couple, who have great friends. It was a pretty cold and rainy November Day. But, that didn't stop this couple or their friends from having a good time. The OmniShoreham was a perfect venue for this wedding. That hotel is steeped in tradition. It's just a perfect backdrop. I have to say Sarah (yes, another Sarah!) from the Omni was FANTASTIC! She really knows her stuff, and was a pleasure to work with. I also got to work with my fav friends - Petal's Edge. I also had the pleasure of working with their photographer, Jenifer Miller from Freed Photography. She was such a joy to work with. We had to contend with horrendous traffic because of the G2 Economic Summit that took place that weekend in Washington DC. Jennifer kept her cool, and got some fabulous photos. I think you'll like them ;-)

I am so sorry that I haven't been around. I use Blogger.com to host my blog. But, I use another service to host my webpage and such. Well, I was having major problems, because Blogger.com stopped supporting my Host and it was just a mess. It took me a long while (over 6 months) before I got a resolution. In the meantime, these darn kids just consume all of my time! In case you don't know, I've pretty much been knocked up for the last 3 years - haha! I have a wonderful daughter, Isabella - she's 21 months old. And, we got that boy we always wanted, Luke - he's 7 months old. Let's just say I don't have much time to eat a decent meal, let alone blog! We have managed to put a few posts on our personal blog - www.teamthompson.net. But, for the most part, 2008 wasn't a good blogging year! But, I'm making a resolution early - You'll see a lot more posts from me from now on :-)

Well, I forgot to mention in January that we were selected as one of the best wedding planners in Washington DC again. Isn't that AMAZING!!?!?!? .... I am so humbled and honored that clients and peers in the industry like us - they really like us! ... We are so honored, and believe that we've done a good job of treating our clients really well. When you treat your clients like friends, everything always turns out better!

There are a lot of other vendors listed whom we adore. We congratulate everyone who made the list. But, as an FYI - there are still some FABULUOUS wedding vendors who didn't get selected for the Washingtonian list. That doesn't mean they aren't great.

I got an email from the fantasatic photographer Bill Crandall with some of his favorite photos from Julie and Jim's wedding from 11.03.07 at the Mayflower Hotel. If you scroll down a bit in this blog, you can read about that wedding. When you look at Bill, you wouldn't think he was a photographer. In fact, he kinda looks like an actor to me! ... You know, very handsome - but not pretentious at all ;-) ... I've only worked with him a couple of times, but each time was so smooth and it was such a pleasure. In this business, vendors can get pretty territorial when it comes to weddings. We may all be on the same team, but sometimes some vendors want you to know who's in charge. And I have said this many times - most Coordinators are a wonderful asset to your team. Our job is to make sure your day moves along smoothly and joyously - WITHOUT GETTING IN THE WAY!!!! I give your vendors the information and tools they need to be successful - I don't try to do their jobs. I don't know how to shoot photos, how to shoot video, how to bake a cake, etc; Therefore, I don't try to tell them how to do their jobs!! I think that's why I get along so well with all of the fellow wedding vendors I work with. I make sure they know I am a part of their team, and I will make sure they have whatever they need to be successful.

Ahhh, but I have digressed and completely gone off track!!! The whole point of that diatribe was that I gave Bill the information he needed, then simply got out of the way and watched while he worked his magic - even when noone knew he was doing it. People who are outstanding at what they do usually don't have to shout it from the mountaintops - their work speaks for itself. Look at the amazing work done by Bill Crandall at Julie and Jim's wedding.

I KNOW, I KNOW... It looks like I completely dropped off the face of the Earth. Well, to tell you the truth, I have a kid! ... Now, that's not an excuse or anything. In fact, there are extremely accomplished people who juggle family, professional and social without breaking a sweat. Then on the other hand, there's me!!!! When I'm not working with my Brides, I get so caught up with spending time with Isabella. And unfortunately, all of those "other things" that I usually do have been swept to the side! ... Well, I only have a couple of resolutions for 2008 (in additition to the standard "lose 15 pounds") - If I don't blog after every wedding, I will at least blog once a month, to catch you guys up on what's going on over here at Serendipity!!! Below is a run down of the 2007 weddings I didn't blog about. Some don't have pictures, but I will be sure to post those when the photographers send them my way ;-)

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Melanie & Jason – August 18th, 2007Melanie and Jason were both entrenched in advanced programs at Harvard University when I met them. Yes, I said Harvard! Jason was getting an MBA from Harvard Business School, while Melanie was in her last year as a Law Student at Harvard. These are two smart cookies! … They came to me in March of 2006, looking for a Coordinator to help them plan a Washington DC wedding while they were away at school. I jumped at the chance to work on this wedding.

We immediately ran into problems finding a Reception site, because they had a HUGE guest list. We visited TONS of sites in DC proper, but none fit size wise or price wise. So, Jason ingeniously found out the Westin was building a new hotel in Annapolis, and he worked out a great deal with them. The only catch was we wouldn’t be able to do any kind of walkthroughs/tastings/changes until a month before the wedding – because that’s when the hotel was opening. Talk about a little stressful! But, we went ahead with blind faith, and the Westin came through like pros. The space turned out AMAZINGLY well. It was so beautiful. The food was also impeccable. I have to give kudos to Cathy, the Catering Manager at the Westin Annapolis ~ She is a complete pro, and it was a pleasure working with her.

Melanie looked especially beautiful. Although, this was another stressful point of the wedding. I scheduled trials around her schedule, since she wouldn’t be in town that often. Two trials with a hairstylist did not make Melanie very happy. She trusted me enough to suggest another stylist 2 DAYS BEFORE THE WEDDING!!! Talk about pressure!!!!! … They treated her so well, and made Melanie looked STUNNING. I am talking about Camille and Diane over at Cole Stevens Salon and Day Spa (Greenbelt, MD). Just look at the photos. She looked so beautiful – these pictures will still be timeless 20 years from now. And that dress – wow – that dress was GORGEOUS!!! … And it looked stunning on her frame. Oh, and Jason cleaned up pretty well on his big day too!

Derek Romanoff provided DJ services – and he was great as usual. I’ve raved about Derek before, but I will rave about him here again. At the last minute, Melanie and Jason decided that they wanted a family friend to give the blessing over the food. I told Derek about the last minute change. I also mentioned that he was a State Representative from his local area. Derek jumped on his wireless connection, read his bio, and gave him an introduction befitting a politician. Everyone was surprised and delighted, and it seemed as if Derek had this information in his hand weeks before the wedding! .. Derek embraces technology in his DJ’ing services, and I just love his ingenuity. He just rocks!

Linda Wallace – the AMAZING photographer out of NC – provided the photography services. I love working with Linda. She is so laid back, and produces stunning photography. I just love working with her, because she’s so flexible. She lives in NC, but does about half of her weddings in the DC area. Melanie and Jason were demanding, but it was all worth it. They had a clear vision of the way they wanted, and I think they achieved that. It was also amazing to see things unfold and see how happy they were on their wedding day ;-)

Angela & Jamison – September 15th, 2007I met Angela for Lunch one day, and we hit it off immediately. She had seen a review in the Knot, of one of our previous weddings. It was nice that she came in appreciating our work. But, when I met her, I immediately knew I wanted to work with her! … Angela has such an amazing personality, and it’s easy to be her friend!

Angela’s wedding took place at the Mansion at Strathmore in Bethesda, MD. It is a gorgeous mansion, and a wonderful place to have a wedding if you have less than 120 people. The Ceremony took place in the Music room and the guests then moved to the garden for Cocktails. During the Cocktail hour, we got all of Angela’s guests together for a group photo. It turned out amazingly well! Dinner was held in the various rooms of the mansion. Angela did something a little different for her head table. She asked us to set up one long rectangular table that would seat 22 people. It turned out beautifully. Angela had a lilac/deep purple/platinum color scheme. When you have purples and silvers, it can look a little childish/12 year old-ish if your not careful. With the help of the wonderful folks at Party Rental Ltd, Angela picked amazing linens and rentals that made her entire wedding looked sophisticated and “oh so sheik!”

The guests danced the night away to great tunes and even greater company. Kathy Blanchard and her sister Missy took the photos at the wedding. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Kathy and Missy. Kathy and Missy were selected (again!) as one of the best photography teams by the Washingtonian Magazine; I’ll post pictures soon so you can see why.

I adored Angela, and I hope she and Jamison will be truly happy together. I think that won’t be a problem for them ;-)

Sara & Benny – September 22nd, 2007Sara and Benny are one of those couples you just want to be around. Just plain and simple. They party hard, play hard and live life in a way that you envy. I met them for dinner a few months before the wedding, and realized that they are such down to earth people! These are the type of people that you just want to have a beer with while hanging out at a tailgate party or something!The couple hosted their party at Woodend Mansion in Chevy Chase. It was a beautiful background and we were lucky to have GORGEOUS weather! … Spot Floral provided beautiful flowers, in addition to all of the linens and other rentals. Occasions catering provided the wonderful meal.

The Ceremony took place in the Grove, and was led by Calhoun “Callie” Perkins, a family friend. She did an absolutely phenomenal job. I may have mentioned before, that I don’t always listen to the Ceremony. There are so many things that need to be done to get ready for the next phase of the wedding, and I am busy with those things. But, I asked my assistants to take care of those things and I simply sat down and listened to what she said. It was amazing. Very spiritual and very moving.

We had a wonderful cocktail ceremony on the grounds, which led to the reception under the tent. It was a wonderful dinner. The guests then danced the night away to the sounds of the band Nation. They ROCKED!! .. The guests didn’t want to get off of the floor! .. It was so great to see the guests – and the couple – have such a great time.

As a note, I LOVED Sara and Benny’s guests. I got to take pictures with several of her guests. Not because I’m a superstar Coordinator (which I believe in my own head – haha!), but because they were UConn basketball fans. I am not sure if I’ve talked about this in the blog. I played basketball for UConn in the mid 90’s. We won the National Championship in 1995 – we were a perfect 35-0. For those of you basketball geeks, I was on the team with Rebecca Lobo. Anyhoo, some of her guests were huge fans, and knew I played. I got to take a few pictures with them and talk ad-nauseam about UConn!! … I have had UConn fans at 5 or so of the 120 weddings I’ve done. It’s ALWAYS great when we have fans – GO HUSKIES ;-) …. Oh, and er, um, Go Sara & Benny ;-)

Lindsay & Matt – October 6th, 2007Lindsay and Matt are both lawyers here in Washington DC. I would call them very conservative – to say the least ;-) … They met each other while attending Law School at George Washington University. They are great for each other – great balance of two personalities.

Lindsay and Matt’s wedding took place at the wonderful Ronald Reagan Building in the Pavilion Room. If you have never seen this room, you are doing yourself a disservice! It is a gorgeous space to have a wedding. It was an unusually warm day. In fact, it was hot while the bridal party took pictures around the city! … But, along with the great weather, came a great wedding.

The Christian/Jewish Interfaith Ceremony was a wonderful representation of both faiths. The Chuppah was draped with soft flowing white fabric, and it set the tone for a romantic evening. The folks at the Ronald Reagan Building did an amazing job of flipping the space for the Reception. Courtney, an amazing Coordinator over at the RR Building, led them in making sure the things went off without a hitch. The uplighting also made the space beautiful, warm and inviting.

Lindsay was a little apprehensive about the big Hora! But, much to her pleasure, she was not dropped on the floor! … Once that was over, Derek Romanoff provided DJ services, and he didn’t let anyone down. Derek is an AMAZING DJ, and I am always so happy to work with him!

The “icing on the cake” wasn’t even on a cake at all! The couple really personalized their wedding by NOT having a wedding cake! Instead, they had a candy buffet, which was an absolute hit with the guests! Lindsay has always had a sweet tooth, and wanted a variety of candies she liked at her wedding, instead of cake. Well, it was a great decision that all of the guests appreciated.

Lindsay wanted a warm, welcoming wedding and she delivered on that. I am so honored to have worked with them both ;-)

Julie & Jim – November 3rd, 2007Julie & Jim are both lawyers here in Washington. On the surface, they appear very conservative. When I met with them at their house, Jim was very pleasant to me, but couldn’t wait to get back to his flat panel LCD TV!! … I think it was a Samsung ~ I’m not sure ~ I just know it was NICE!!.. I wish I could’ve stayed to watch it with them ;-)

One of my previous brides, Stephanie (read the blog entry about Stephanie and Josh from April 2006) referred Julie to me. I am always so happy when former clients refer Serendipity to their family and friends. It’s the biggest compliment I can receive! As an added treat, Stephanie was one of Julie’s Bridesmaids!

Julie dressed in a very simple (and stunning) lace wedding dress with a gorgeous traditional Mantilla veil. She looked absolutely stunning in her simplicity. She reminded me of a Bride that may have walked down the aisle in old world Europe. The dress and veil beautifully complimented her gorgeous brunette hair.

Julie & Jim married at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington. If you have never seen this Church, you MUST visit at least once. It reminded me of Churches I saw when I visited Florence, Venice and Milan, Italy during college. It is one of the most ornate and beautiful Catholic Churches I have ever visited. Msgr. Jameson delivered a wonderful Homily, directed squarely at the couple. It was very timely and engaging. We then enjoyed a full Catholic Mass.

Once the Ceremony was over, the guests walked 2 blocks to the Mayflower Hotel for the Reception. This is an absolutely GORGEOUS hotel. Usually, once you get to a hotel, all of the ballrooms look the same. But not at the Mayflower ~ It was really beautiful. I had the pleasure of working with Kathryn Majeed-Ali at the Mayflower – she is an absolute pro at what she does! She made things so easy for us!

I also FINALLY got to work again with one of the best DJ’s in this area – Chris Laich. He’s such a great person (and great family man with 3 kids) ~ not to mention an awesome DJ! He’s listed as one of the best in almost EVERY publication there is, and yet there is not one pretentious bone in his body ;-)

The flowers were done by Barbara Von Elm of Growing Wild. As usual, she did a wonderful job! Finally, Bill Crandall shot the wedding photos. They are stunning. I have asked for a few to post to the blog. Until I get them, you can check out a few of his favorites (mine too ;-) here.

This was Serendipity’s last wedding of the season. It was a pleasure to end on such a wonderful high note. With the Holidays over, it’s time to start gearing up for this 2008 season. I know it will be a fabulous one ;-)

Yeah, mommy hood has really caused me to suck at updating my blog. I tell you, this has been on my To Do list for 2 months. I keep telling myself ~ "I'll get around to it" .... then another week slips by! I guess I just spend any free moment with Isabella. Everyone says that you should enjoy your kid while they are still young. What they really mean is enjoy them before they become mobile ~ once they start crawling then walking, your life will turn into a constant chorus of "get back here"... "get away from that" ... "get down from there".... yada, yada, yada!

But, I digress! This post is about my wonderful couple Jennifer and Chris who were married on June 30th, 2007 at Fort McNair in Washington, DC. Jennifer and Chris are one of the most laid back couples I've ever had the privilege to work with. They are a super laid back couple; However, they are BOTH so beautiful, they could be models! But the cool thing is, they NEVER acted like they were better than anyone. No bridezilla or groomzilla moments with them. They simply love each other, and wanted their guests to have a wonderful day to share with them. Oh, and I forgot to mention that the entire bridal party was amazingly beautiful as well. For someone who just had a kid and is still trying to work off 10 pounds of baby weight, I was a little self conscious standing next to all of those beautiful people!!!!!!!!

They had their Ceremony on the lawn at Fort McNair. For those of you who haven't been on the campus at Fort McNair, I tell you, you're missing out on a great venue; They have some of the BEST REAL ESTATE IN WASHINGTON, DC!!! ... We were right on the banks of the Potomac River and the weather was gorgeous!!

We then moved inside for the reception in the lovely Crystal Ballroom. It was set up beautifully. If you can believe this, the Groom and the Bride's Aunt T did the Reception flowers. They were really beautiful ~ Chris has a great eye for decor! But I already knew this ~ I had a meeting with the couple at their house a few months back ~ what a WONDERFUL PLACE!!!!!!

The guests were partying all night. I was told by my assistants that they wanted to pay the DJ to keep the party going at the end of the night! Whenever guests DON'T want to go home, you've had a successful reception ;-)

Some of the vendors that worked this wonderful wedding:

My girls from Petal's Edge did the Ceremony and Personal flowers, and of course they looked stunning. I really love them, and Rebecca led this wedding. She constructed a beautiful arch onsite and I tell you, it was stunning!

Deb Lindsey was the amazing photographer that shot the wedding. I haven't seen all of the pictures, but she did send me a link to the slide show for the wedding. All I can say is AMAZING!!! Take a look here: http://www.deblindsey.com/slideshows/Doyleslideshow

DJ Jerome Cooper kept the guests on the floor all night long ~ I told you before, they didn't want to leave! That means this DJ rocked!!!!!

The staff at Fort McNair was really amazing, as usual. I do have to point out a few people who really made the wedding run flawlessly; The Catering Director Vanessa Mozee, the Banquet Captain Jaunita and Waiter Bobby are really so good at what they do, and it was an honor to work with them

Okay, I think I have rambled enough! This couple was so wonderful, and I am glad we had a chance to run in the same circle for a short amount of time ;-)

Wow, I totally forgot to post about this in January. Well, I was 8 months pregnant, so I think you’ll forgive me!!! Apparently someone likes us – we were selected as one of the best wedding planners in the DC area by the Washingtonian Magazine. I was FLOORED!!! I’ve been in business since 2003, and have done over 100 weddings. I still didn’t think I had enough clout to get into the Washingtonian, but apparently someone thinks I’m halfway decent….. ;-)

Well, enough kidding – I’m actually humbled and honored to be selected by such a prestigious magazine. There are some AMAZING planners (and other vendors) listed in the Washingtonian. I am honored to be listed along side them. If you want to see the 2007 Best of Weddings Guide online, you can click here.

My baby's in pictures!

Well, today I went to the home of Sandi Foraci (Sandi Foraci Photography) for photos of my little Isabella! We had SO much fun! It wasn’t a traditional photo shoot; First, we went to her neighbor’s house to shoot some pictures on their bench. I asked if the neighbors minded Sandi trekking into their yard – she said no; in fact they come out occasionally and join her photo shoots!

Next, Sandi took me on a tour of her gorgeous house. It’s a great rambler that she and her husband have remodeled. It goes to show you don’t have to have the biggest house on the block to have the best house on the block. Her house felt comfortable and warm, just like her. It doesn’t hurt that it looked like it could’ve been on the cover of Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware! It was that gorgeous ;-)

But, I digress! …… after the tour of the house, we didn’t get into stiff, rigid poses. Nope… Sandi decided to lay Bella right on her bed. She then started snapping away. The photo shoot epitomized Sandi’s personality – warm, welcoming and open! She welcomed us into her home like we were family. As a result, she got some great photos. She graciously shared a few with me so I could show you guys!

I am a firm believer in using the vendors that I recommend. Thomas Graves (Thomas Graves Photography) shot my family in 2004. Greg Gibson (Greg Gibson Photography) shot my maternity photos. And now Sandi has taken the first “official” pictures of my baby! I work with so many great photographers. I think I’ll ask the Regeti’s (Regeti’s Photography) to shoot something for me in the near future! So, if you’re looking for a good photographer, I have first hand knowledge that these folks are GREAT!!!!!

~kim

Tricia & Jon – 04.14.07

Our first wedding of the season was a beautiful Jewish wedding at Newton White Mansion in Mitchellville, MD. Tricia and Jon are a great couple with GREAT friends and family. Tricia decided on a hot pink and lime color scheme – and as Paris Hilton would say “That’s hot!” Unfortunately, that didn't apply to the weather. We couldn’t have the Ceremony outside as planned. It was a cold and rainy 50 degrees outside. But, Danielle Couick from Catering by Windows turned the Mansion’s Atrium into a BEAUTIFUL Ceremony Site. After the Ceremony, the guests enjoyed Cocktails while the Atrium was again transformed – this time into a gorgeous Reception area. The rain couldn’t put a damper on this wedding!

Tricia looked RADIANT in her strapless gown. Sandi Foraci and Marilynn Spindler (Sandi Foraci Photography) were the photographers for the day. I know the pictures are going to be out of this world! Tricia and Jon are truly wonderful people – it was an honor to work with them!

I also have to say I was SO happy to work with Danielle from Windows again. Danielle really knows how to throw a party. The staff, food, rentals and linens were all fabulous. I also LOVED working with Evan from MyDeejay again. Evan is one of the best DJ’s I have ever worked with. And, wouldn’t you know, he’s a nice guy too ;-)

~kim

Carrie & Joe – 04.21.07

We had our second wedding of the season with Carrie and Joe. I tell you, they are one of the most relaxed couple that we’ve worked! The weather was the complete opposite of the weekend before – it was 75 degrees and sunny! Anyone who lives in the DC area can attest to the awful cold weather we’ve had for the last month. We couldn’t WAIT for this wonderful weather this past weekend. Carrie and Joe were married at St. Peter’s Catholic Church. It’s a very beautiful Church on Capitol Hill. While I loved the Church, the Priest – Fr. O’Sullivan was a bit, shall I say, brusque…… Despite that, Carrie and Joe had a wonderful traditional full Catholic Mass.

After the Ceremony, the Bridal Party headed over to the Capitol grounds for pictures. They then headed to the Reception site – Ft. McNair Officer’s Club. The club is undergoing a facelift, and unfortunately there is scaffolding around the entire outside of the building. But, the Bridal party made the most of it – including take pictures sitting on (and jumping off) the scaffolding!

I wanted to give a shout out to a couple of their vendors – Brian Trace from BLM Entertainment. He had the crowd up and dancing the whole night. He was *really* great to work with! He doesn’t have a website, but feel free to email me if you’d like his information. Also, I finally got the pleasure to work with Amy and Srinu from Regeti’s Photography. Their work is more on the artistic side, and it’s actually quite stunning. They have posted some pictures of Carrie and Joe’s wedding –they look AWESOME!!! You can check out their blog ----- Regeti’s Blog. I really enjoyed working with them, and can’t wait to do it again ;-)

Gosh, it's been FOREVER since I last blogged! I do have a good excuse --- I had a baby girl on Valentine's Day! Yes, Isabella was born on 02.14.07 at 8:20pm. Now, we'll never have another romantic Valentine's Day again! Well, maybe in 17 years or so - HaHa! ... Nope, we're doomed to Dora, Cinderella or some other character coming into our home for birthday parties every Valentine's Day! Please indulge me ----- I have to show one picture of the kid ... er, umm .. Isabella ;-)

So, she's the reason I have been MIA! I have been trying to get used to being a mom ;-) I do adore her, though, and I love motherhood. We're having professional pictures taken next week by one of my favorite wedding photographers. I will post a few to show off their work when I get the pictures back. I will show you proof that I actually *use* the vendors that I recommend to my clients ;-)

Anyhoo, I just wanted to say I am back! I am still on maternity leave.... Although I have two weddings this month..... Hmm, then that means I'm not on leave then, right?!?!?! ... Nah, these weddings were booked before I got pregnant;-) ... So, I am still honoring those contracts. Actually, it's not a chore, because I love both couples that I'll be working for this month. But, after that, I will not work another wedding until the end of June.

I hope to do some "Spring Cleaning" of sorts. I plan to update the photos in the photo gallery. I will add some testimonials. I will also add a picture of myself in the About Us section - so people browsing can put a face with the name! I will also start interviewing for late 2007 and 2008 clients. I have been laying low, and have a *very* light 2007 schedule. I didn't want to be away from Isabella for too long!

So, sorry for being gone so long. I do have a lot to blog about though (including being selected as one of the best wedding planners by Washingtonian magazine!), so you'll be seeing posts about once a week from now on.

Well, I am so sorry that I dropped off the face of the earth for a few months – literally! Most of you don’t know – but I am preggers! Yep – 31 weeks now! It’s actually been a rough pregnancy; this bugger made me quite sick in the first trimester. And, it took me a long time to gain any weight – I actually lost about 15 pounds. Under normal circumstances, that would be a great diet ;-) …. But, when you’re pregnant, that’s not so good. In the best interest of the baby, I had to give up my weddings after November 5th because of some other complications. That was *very* hard, because I adore all of my clients, and I was really upset that I couldn’t personally be there for a few of them. But, the baby will be here in early February; I will be SO happy to see the baby’s face! My husband and I decided not to find out the sex, so we will just have to wait and see ;-)

I am on maternity leave through May. I have two weddings in April, but I won’t take on any new clients who have a wedding before the summer. I know you're thinking - then how are you on maternity leave until May?! ... Well, these clients were booked before the baby was in the picture, and I'll be able to work on those 2 events in the early Spring. But, I do want to make sure mommy and baby have enough time to bond – then I’ll get back to work in full gear! Some of you may or may not have heard that I had to give up some of my 2007 weddings because of a potential surgery I have to have after the baby arrives. I want to let everyone know that my doctor and I have talked, discussed, researched, and have come up with an alternative approach. So, I will not have to take off most of 2007 as some thought. I’m SO happy! I had to give up some weddings, and I wish them nothing but success with the Coordinators they decided to go with. I will keep some remaining weddings, and look forward to servicing those clients.

I know this was a lot of personal information, but I want to make sure the rumors are cleared up and everyone knows that I AM FINE!!!! I look forward to the baby making its entrance into the world, and getting back to my clients!!!

Now, I want to mention the last few weddings I did in 2006. I didn’t give them their just due with blog entries after their wedding.

Stacey & Brian – September 30th, 2006

Stacey and Brian are such a great, laid back couple. When I say laid back, I mean laid back. When you first look at them, they look like that couple who loves tailgating, baseball caps turned backwards, and a mean game of flag football! I’m not sure if they actually play that game, but they remind me of a couple playing that game on the cover of Abercrombie & Fitch!

They had a lovely wedding in Old Town, and then hosted a great party at the Hilton Old Town in Alexandria. I had the privilege of working with MarilynnSpindler from Sandi Foraci Photography. I tell you – I LOVED her! I also worked with Jaime Mizell from Bialek’s for the first time. Jaime (Jay-mee) is a woman, and is one of the best DJ’s I’ve seen. She kicks butt!!!

Stacey and Brian had a theme song – “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire. Jaime played it twice, and everyone was up for it both times. I remember Stacey and Brian were thinking of ending the party after 4 hours; well, her guests were partying so much, we extended the party for another 30 minutes! And even that wasn’t long enough!

Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how SEXY Stacey looked in her wedding dress. Although it wasn’t a pure sheath, she reminded me of Carolyn Bassett when she married JFK Jr. She just looked so curvy – she’s a hot mama….. Her theme should have been "I'm bringing sexy back :-)"

Stacey and Brian – thanks so much for the pleasure of working with you. You guys were really awesome!

Jodi & Tom – October 21st, 2006

Jodi and Tom are a cute couple – Jodi is a school teacher in the Fairfax County Public School system, and she epitomizes "teacher" – she has such a calm demeanor. Nothing seemed to bother her, and she had the patience of a saint. And the poor thing she was at school several nights before the wedding creating lesson plans, and making sure the substitute teacher had everything they needed to take care of her class. During a time when all of her thoughts she be on her wedding – Jodi was still thinking of her students.

Jodi and Tom had a wonderful ceremony in Alexandria, and then went over to Fort Belvoir for a party that I never thought would be a cool as it was! Now, don’t get me wrong - Tom and Jodi picked great food and had a great bar. But, Jodi is a DANCING MAMA! She can GET DOWN!! And so can all of her friends! I *never* realized she could dance that well! She was not the same teacher I had been dealing with the months leading up to that wedding. And, Derek Romanoff from Bialek’s was the DJ. You guys may recall we worked together in June at the Derge-Massey wedding. He is in my top 3 of DJ’s. And he knew how to read Jodi and Tom’s crowd, and had them up THE WHOLE TIME!!!!!

Jodi and Tom – you guys are perfect for each other; your personalities complement each other perfectly. Thanks for the opportunity to see Jodi “shake her thang” on the dance floor!

Susan & Todd – November 4th, 2006

Well, lemme just say that this was the “QUINTESSENTIAL WASHINGTON DC WEDDING.” Everything about this wedding was cool. They had their ceremony in upper Northwest. We then moved back downtown to Hotel Monaco for the Cocktail style reception. In addition to Todd working on the Hill, they live 3 blocks from the Capitol. I’m sure they’ve been to their share of stuffy black tie affairs. Well, Todd and Susan were determined to buck that trend. They treated their guests to a amazing cocktail style reception; there was cool lounge furniture, a WELL stocked bar, great food stations, and a band to keep guests dancing all night. Some people may think you don’t eat that much at a cocktail style reception; well, that wasn’t the case at this wedding! There was a sushi station, Mediterranean station and comfort food station that was NEVER empty! The staff at Hotel Monaco did a great job of keeping those stations stocked. Susan and Todd mingled with their guests, and made everyone feel comfortable.

I got to work with one of my favorite photographers – Sandi Foraci!!! I have a girl crush on her – LOL!!!!!! She is just so bubbly and down to earth, and I love working with her! She makes things so easy – she doesn’t miss a shot! Well, maybe there have been one or two shots over her career that she’s missed – but I’ve never seen it ;-) ……

My husband was in the neighborhood, and dropped by for a few to meet the couple and see how fantastic this wedding was! I couldn’t stop talking about it in the weeks leading up to their big day!!! …. My husband rarely comes to my events (He came to one in 2005), but I told him if he was going to be in the area, he *had* to come see this fabulous wedding ;-)

Oh, I almost forgot to mention one of the best things about the wedding – my girls at Petal’s Edge did the flowers!! My girl crush on them is a little deeper than the one on Sandi – LOL!!! But, they did the most AWESOME flower arrangement in a 5 ft martini glass. YES – a 5ft martini glass. It was so cool. When I get a picture from Sandi, I’ll post if for you guys ;-)

Thanks Susan and Todd – you are SO cool, and you had one of the most refreshing weddings I’ve had in a long time!

I will blog this week, in between the Christmas and New Year's Holidays. I have some more great news ;-) I hope you all have a wonderful and joyous holiday. It's rainy out there on this Christmas afternoon; PLEASE be careful, and I can't wait to share the new year with you all!

So, I'm getting better... this post will go up only be a few days after the wedding actually happened. Much sooner than my Christmas deadline - LOL! Stacey and Brian got married this past Saturday in Old Town.

The Ceremony took place at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Old Town. I am always impressed by Ceremonies of all faiths, but I especially enjoy Catholic ceremonies. I am Catholic, and I get to participate in Communion when we have]

Nneka (Ah-neeka) & Henriot (Ahn-ree-oh) threw a fabulous party on September 3rd at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. We ended up having a great wedding, although the rain *really* threatened to put a damper on the party. If you are local, you may recall that the several days leading up to the Labor Day weekend were filled with rain. The rain just poured, and poured..... and poured. I was *SO* nervous about our wedding would be rained out. Even worse, we were having our Ceremony outside, and I was nervous that the ground would be so wet, we'd have to move things indoors anyway, since it would simply be a mud pile outside. Our rehearsal was at 5:00pm on Saturday. After 3 straight days, we saw the sun *finally* come out! We still weren't out of the woods yet, as it was still threatening to rain again on Sunday.

Sunday started out cloudy, but with no rain. I actually didn't hear from Nneka all morning. It's always GREAT when I don't hear from my brides early - that means they are actually calm ;-) I went over to the hotel about 1:30pm. I arrived in time to see my favorite florists - Petal's Edge. Have I ever said how much I love them? Well, just in case, I'll say it again - I LOVE THEIR FLOWERS :-) They created beautiful arrangements in the bride's red and gold color scheme. Nneka was relaxed and calm, as she and her bridesmaids were getting dressed. I checked in on the progress of the setup in the Reception and Lounge areas. Things were going fabulously. That was until it was 15 minutes before the Ceremony, and the Bride still wasn't in her gown!!! I see this happen ALL the time. The schedule can be going so well, and people so relaxed, and then it all of a sudden hits the ladies that they must get dressed, because we're having a wedding! Nneka's dress was stunning, but it was a little difficult to get on. There was a zipper issue. Now, Nneka has a gorgeous figure, and probably weighs all of 130 pounds, even though she's about 5'9". It definitely wasn't an issue with her! The zipper was simply stuck on the track, and wouldn’t go up more than 3/4 of the way. We ended up camouflaging it, so we could get her down the aisle. We started 20 minutes late. I HATE starting late, although sometimes you can't help it.

We ended up having our fabulous outdoor Ceremony. The Ceremony was officiated by Reverend Wesley Peyton. Reverend Peyton is very good, and also a very engaging guy. I really enjoyed working with him. Sandi Foraci was the photographer. Ahh, Sandi is so sweet, and cute and funny - ANSD GOOD!!! I just love her, and I wish we worked together more. She makes her clients feel so relaxed. I am sure that she will get some fabulous photos. I will bug her for some, and post them as soon as I get them ;-)

For the Reception, we moved into the Diplomat Ballroom. It was decorated so wonderfully. We had John Farr provide the uplighting and gobo (monogram projected on the dance floor) - they were both great. And Elizabeth over at Upper Crust Wedding Cake company provided the cake.

If you're looking for a wedding venue, consider the Omni. The staff is amazing - very attentive to their clients. The food was also to die for. Believe me, I don't normally say that, but the food was *really* good. You also can't beat the outdoor Gazebo location for Ceremonies. Exactly what you'd expect for a romantic wedding.

Once the party started, it was a great party! Henriot is Haitian, so we did have a lot of Haitian music interspersed with the hip-hop and Old School. I have to say, it was very cool. And, Nneka said something very funny to me when the party was over. She said “NO, it went too fast! I don’t want this day to end!!!” I just love it when brides say that. It means that all of their hard work paid off, and they are blissfully happy. I love blissfully happy :-)

We have a wedding this weekend - Stacey & Brian are marrying on September 30th in Old Town Alexandria. It should be very fun. Hopefully I'll blog about it before Christmas - LOL ;-)

Okay, before I begin, I posted an entry about another wedding this evening too. Make sure you scroll down and read it too, or click here. The wedding is about my August 5th, Brandi and Brian.

Okay, on to our last wedding. The wedding of Monica and George. I would characterize this wedding as "My Big Fat Catholic Philippino Wedding" - yeah, hilarious, right?!? Monica's family is Philippino - in fact, many of her family flew in from the Philippines for the wedding.

Monica hired us back in January - she was HILARIOUS from the first moment my sister and I met with her at the Galleria Starbucks. At the time, she was in her last semester of law school. She is a self-admitted slacker and sometimes a bundle of nerves. But, I felt like I *had* to work for her. She's the type that will just make you laugh - whether she's talking about herself or something completely random!

Anyhoo, she asked us to pick up 45 days out (we usually pick up 30 days out for Day of Coordination), because during July, she would be knee-deep in studying for the bar. Well, she wasn't lying! I met with Monica and George before the bar - but let's just say she only gave me about 30% of the info I needed! But, it was okay, I started cobbling together her timelines from the sparse packet of info she gave me, as well as emails she sent me. And, I got right on top of her other vendors. I must say though, she picked good vendors, and it was actually a pleasant experience working with them.

Even though she's a self-admitted slacker, she really pulled together a great wedding. The Ceremony was at Saint Patrick's Catholic Church in downtown DC. It is a STUNNING Church. If you've never been there, you should really visit. Monica and George had a full Catholic Mass. If you've never been to a full Catholic wedding, it's not the quick wedding that you'd see on TV. There are 1st and 2nd Readings, in addition to the Gospel reading and Homily (words to the Congregation) by the Priest. Then the Rite of Marriage commences - it may or may not be capped with a kiss. What then follows is the rest of the traditional Catholic Mass - the Rite of Communion. That will take another 25 minutes. In total, the wedding will usually last about 1 hour, sometimes 1 hour and 15 minutes. That's a lot different than the 15 or 20 minute services that some people have. But it was beautiful and moving. I was glad to witness it.

After the Ceremony, we had a TON of pictures. I mean lotso pictures. Did I say it was a lot of pictures?!?? ... I was exhausted! After that, we put the guests on the Shuttle buses provided by the couple. Except there were a few more people who wanted to get on the bus than originally anticipated. So, I ended up driving a few of the guests to the reception at Fort McNair!

The Reception at Fort McNair was great. If you're never been there before, it's a great historic building right on the Potomac River. I tell you, the government has the best real estate! It is said that the building and a few others are haunted by Mary Suratts (the mother of John Wilkes Booth, President Lincoln's Assassin). Apparently, she was hanged in the galley that once stood where the base tennis courts are presently situated. Those courts are right next door to the Officer's Club. Is it true? I dunno; I've been there for afternoon and evening weddings - I've never seen anything - but that doesn't mean I don't get escorts to my car when it's late at night ;-)

Anyhoo, Monica and George provided a wonderful buffet lunch for their guests. And the DJ, Brennan Sullivan from Bialek's, did a good job with the music. I even got out on the dance floor for the "Cha Cha Slide!!" One of the flower girls begged me - I couldn't say no to a little girl!

When I get more pictures from Deb Lindsey, I'll let you know. But, she did manage to send me one. Deb is the Sports photo editor for the Washington Post. This is my first time working with her, and she was amazing! I have already referred her to another set of clients! She got hired by them yesterday ;-)

Monica and George were a great couple to work for. They definitely kept the day in perspective; they had great weather and it turned out to be a wonderful wedding! Thanks Monica for hiring me! You really are a cool chick, and I absolutely LOVED you!

Okay, sorry for being such a slacker on the posts. I've been swamped lately. And all I've wanted to do is sleep. I have a wedding on Sunday. I PROMISE I'll post about it by Wednesday ;-)